Keycase



April 26, 1955 A. MARGOTTAT 2,707,011

KEYCASE Filed May 20, 1954 INNEN-FOR ADQLPH MAQGOTTAT AT ro RNEY KEYCASE United States Patent O 2,707,01 l Patented Apr. 26, 1955 secured a supporting plate 9 as The supporting plate 9 has in a known manner a plurality of transverse slots 1t) teiminating on the rear face of the plate (Fig. 6).

U Adolphe Margttat, Yzeure, France assigner to societe supporting plate 9 has along one of the transverse sides thereof one element 12 of a hinge (Figs. 4 and 5) adapted myme Francaise de Maroqumene sans Couture to receive a in 13 su orted b the ears 14 of a small Le Tanneur et Tannei'ies du Bugey, Belley (Ain), p pp y plate 15 secured to the keycase proper. France a company 0 The pltt 9 has, oi its 1other transverse side, a circular aperture provide wit a slot 17 opening outwardly, Application May 1954 Serial No 431203 said circular aperture cooperating with a locking element Claims priority, application France June 15, 1953 18 carried by the plate 15. This locking element 18 comprises a turn button 19 with a spring and of the 3 Claims. (Cl. 15G- 40) same width as the slot 17, in order to enable the a 7 l5 and the apertured plate 9 to be clamped flat against the The present invention relates to keycases and more cent1-a1 portion 1 of the keycase 'Culafly t0 keyeasesf the type COmPflSlUg a fOldable According to the invention, the key-carrying ring CaSe Internally fitted Wltll all apertured Plate adapted t0 is made from a material such as piano wire for instance, receive removable key-carrying rings. suitably shaped into a lower loop portion 21 and two One Obleet Of the HVeUtOIl S tO PI'OVlde a, kel/ease 20 rectilinear legs 22 and 23 having different lengths. The Of the type referred tO lll Whleh the key-Caffylng rings leg 2 is terminated into a spherical head 24. Both legs may be hOOlilHg lll O1' releelSed from tllelpelftlllted Plate 22 an 23 are housed within a sleeve forming a sliding irl e VefY Simple manner and H Wllleh Sad flugs may be ring 25 with an axial bore 26 opening into a cylindrical opened or closed in a new and improved manner. recess 27 of a larger diameter,

notheiobject of the inventlon is t0 prOVlde a kel/Case 25 The use of the keycase above described and shown in of the type referred to wherein the apertured plate which the drawings is as follows; COIlSttUteS the SUPPOT t fOr the key-Calrylllg TlllgS 1S When it is desired to turn open the flap 7 together with arranged in Such a manner as t0 Cooperate Wlth the case the apertured plate 9 as shown ifi Fig 3, it merely suiiees for ensuring the locking 0f Said rings 0r fOr alowlns to swing the spring turn button 19 so as te bring it into their release in accordance with the position 0f the aper- 30 register with the slot 17 in order to release the supportiri tured plate with respect to the case proper plate 9 which now may be swung on the pin 13, while the A further Object Of the inVelltlOn S t0 PIOVlCle lOCllflg flap 7 itself is able to pivot on the stitching line or seam means for locking said apertured plate on the case. a Conversely, subsequent to the flap 7 and the plate Still a further object of the inveniOn iS t0 Provide 9 beini7 folded flat against the central poi tion 1, the turn a key-carrying ring having a spherical head and which 35 button 19 is again rotated so as to be brought into the is easy t0 InaHUfCtUIe thOllgll readily Set lntO Opened position shown in Figs l and 2, under such conditions or closed position. the ap 7 and the plate 9 are secuiely locked against the According to the main feature of the invention, the central portion 1 apertured plate which constitutes the support for the keyhen it is desired to open the key-carrying ring 20, carrying rings is hingedly mounted inside the case proper this ring should first be released out of the widened porso that it may be swung away from or toward the case. tions 1 of one of the lateral slots 10, as represented According to another feature of the invention, each in Fig 8 and the sliding rino 25 is then shifted in the keycarrying ring is formed into a loop with two adjacent direction of the arrow f (Fig 5) This results in the rectilinear legs of unequal lengths, the longer 011e of possibility for the rectilinear leg 23 to be freed from the which is terminated into a Spherical head adapted to be axial bore 26 while the spherical head 24 now is housed engaged into the apertures of the supporting plate While within the recess 27 (Fig. 9). After this operation has a sliding sleeve threaded over said leg is adapted to ernbeen carired out, it is now possible to thread a key into brace or to release the other leg for respectively closing the ring 20, and then to bring back the leg 23 flat against or opening the ring. the leg 22. The sliding ring 25 is shifted in the direction Other and further objects and ad antages of the invenof the arrow fi (Fig 9) in order that the leg 23 be again tion will be apparent to those skilled in the art, from entrapped within the axial bore 26, which results in the a consideration of the following description of one specic key-carrying ring being closed again. embodiment of the invention, shown by way of example, From the foregoing it is readily seen that in the irnin the accompanying drawings, in which: proved keycase according to the invention the key-carry- Fig. l is an elevational front view of a keycase according rings 20 may be introduced into the lateral slots 10 of ing to the invention, as seen in open position, the supporting plate or released therefrom very easily.

Fig. 2 is a top view corresponding to Fig. 1, is advantage results frorn the fact that the apertured Fig. 3 is a top view showing the apertured plate in plate 9 and the flap 7 are pivotally mounted. on the pin open hinged position, 13, and that the supporting plate is maintained with the Fig. 4 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, made 60 key-supporting rings in place by the action of the locking on line IV-IV of Fig. 1, element 18 while the spring turn button 19 ensuies the Fig. 5 is a sectional view, also on a larger scale, made clamping of the plate 9 and the ilap 7 against the keycase on line V-V of Fig. 1, Furthermore, the key-carrying rings may be easily opened Fig. 6 shows the rear face of the apertured plate, or closed with a View to insert or to remove a key by Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the plate which supports 65 virtue of the sliding ring 25 adapted to be shifted on the the pivot pin for the apertured plate, rectilinear legs of the key-carrying ring and to eiisure a Fig. 8 shows the introduction of the spherical head complete clamping of the latter in its closed position. of a key-carrying ring into one of the transversal slots s many changes could be made in the above construcof the supporting plate, and tion, and many apparently widely different embodiments Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the key-carrying ring 70 of this invention could be made without departing from in the open position. the scope of the claims it is intended that all matter Referring to these gures, it is readily seen that the contained in the above desciiption or shown in the accomeycase is constituted by a foldable envelope made of panyirig drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and flexible material, such as leather or a plastic mateiial for not in a limiting sense. instance, said envelope having a central portion 1 and 75 What I claim is: two lateral flaps 2 and 3 adapted to be folded flat one l. In a keycase of the type comprising a foldable case on the other by virtue of the folding crease lines 4 and internally tted with an apertured supporting plate secured together by press-buttons 5, 6 According to the adapted to receive removable key-Carrying rings, the proinvention the central portion 1 is overlaid by a llap 7 convision of a rigid plate secured to said case on the inner nected to said portion as at 7a by means of a stitching 3g face thereof, hinge means having one element rigid with said rigid plate and another element rigid with said apertured supporting plate for pivotally supporting said su porting plate, said supporting plate being rolled so as to comprise a rear face adapted to lie at against said case and a front face, both said faces being connected together by an arched portion of said supporting plate, the apertures of said apertured supporting plate being shaped into slots extending transversely from said front face through said arched portion and terminating into enlarged recesses located on said rear face of said supporting plate, said removable key carrying rings being each in the shape of a loop with two adjacent parallel rectilinear legs of unequal lengths, the longer one of which has its end portion shaped into a ball-like head of a size between the widths of said slots and said enlarged recesses of said apertured supporting plate so as to be adapted to be introduced into said enlarged recesses and retained by the edges of said slots, a sliding sleeve being slipped over said longer leg of said key-carrying ring and adapted according to its position along said leg to embrace or to release the other shorter leg of said ring, and locking means being provided for locking said supporting plate ilat against the inner face of said ease.

2. In a keycase of the type comprising a foldable case internally tted with an apertured supporting plate adapted to receive removable key-carrying rings, the provision of hinge means carried by said case for pivotally supporting said supporting plate, said supporting plate being rolled so as to comprise a rear face adapted to lie at against said case and a front face, both said faces being connected together by an arched portion of sai supporting plate, the apertures of said apertured supporting plate being shaped into slots extending transversely from said front face through said arched portion and terminating into enlarged recesses located on said rear face of said supporting plate, said removable key carrying rings being each in the shape of a loop with two adjacent parallel rectilinear legs of unequal lengths, the longer one of which has its end portion shaped into a ball-like head of a size between the widths of said slots and said enlarged recesses of said apertured supporting plate so as to be adapted to be introduced into said enlarged recesses and retained by the edges of said slots, a sliding sleeve being slipped over said longer leg of said key-carrying ring and adapted according to its position along said leg to embrace or to release the other shorter leg of said ring, and locking means for locking said apertured supporting plate flat against the inner face of said case comprising a turn button mounted on said case and a slot cut out in said supporting plate and adapted to register with said turn button when applied against the inner face of said case.

3. In a keycase of the type comprising a foldable case internally fitted with an apertured supporting plate adapted to receive removable key-carrying rings, the provision of hinge means carried by said case for pivotally supporting said supporting plate, said supporting plate being rolled so as to comprise a rear face adapted to lie tiat against said case and a front face, both said faces being connected together by an arched portion of said supporting plate, the apertures of said apertured supporting plate being shaped into slots extending transversely from said front face through said arched portion and terminating into enlarged recesses located on said rear face of said supporting plate, said removable key-carrying rings being each in the shape of a loop with two adjacent parallel rectilinear legs of unequal lengths, the longer one of which has its end portion shaped into a ball-like the widths of said slots and said enlarged recesses, of said apertured supporting plate so as to be adapted to be introduced into said enlarged recesses and retained by the edges of said slots, a sliding sleeve having an axial bore of a diameter suitable for embracing said both legs of said key-carrying ring, said axial bore opening into a cylindrical counterbore coaxial therewith and having a diameter larger than that of said spherical head of said ring, said counterbore being adapted to receive said spherical head when it is desired to open said ring, and locking means being provided for locking said supportlng plate at against the inner face of said case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

